Business Development Faculty

About the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS)

“Business Development for the A/E/C Industries” is taught by a rotating faculty representing some of the most successful architectural, engineering, and construction firms in the United States. The instructors are senior executives within their firms–seasoned, active practitioners of business development with responsibility for bottom-line contractual results. Combined, they offer decades of practical experience. Instructors will be selected from the group below and are subject to change.

Gilbert S. Brindley, P.E., CPSM

Director, NYC Regional Office, H2M architects + engineers

Gil Brindley is director of marketing for H2M, a New York metro area multi-disciplined A/E firm. As director of marketing, he is responsible for all corporate marketing and communications, and works hand-in-hand with the sales and business development teams. As both a marketing professional and licensed practitioner, he has a unique perspective on business development, marketing, and operations. Read Gil’s full bio.

Laurie A. Buckman, CPSM

Vice President of Business Development
The Plus Group

Laurie Buckman has over 28 years of experience in business development for private- and public-sector engineering and environmental consulting services. Her focus has been the development of matrix driven strategies that directly correlate with overall business goals and the associated new market/client definition and outreach. She has also developed and implemented extensive seller-doer training and participation programs as well as door-opening strategies. Read Laurie’s full bio.

Michael T. Buell, FSMPS, Assoc. DBIA

Client Development Director, CCI Mechanical, Inc.

Michael T. Buell has been a strategic marketing and client development professional in the A/E/C industries over the last 25 years. He has worked with construction, architecture and engineering firms from regional to national in market size. Throughout his tenure, Michael has continued to build strong relationships with clients, colleagues and peers alike from coast to coast. Whether for his firm at any given time or for the thousands of marketing and technical staff he has lead training sessions for, Michael’s number one goal has always been to help others build stronger and more abundant client relationships. Read Mike’s full bio.

Karen O. Courtney, AIA, FSMPS

Karen O. Courtney, AIA, FSMPS, has been a marketing director and business developer for 30 years in A/E/C firms ranging in size from medium to extra large, and she is both a registered architect and interior designer. She has worked for architecture, engineering, and construction management firms, giving her a unique perspective of the challenges faced by each segment of the industry in building business. She was honored by SMPS in 2013 with the Society’s Weld Coxe Marketing Achievement Award for her lifetime of work in marketing, business development, and firm leadership. Read Karen’s full bio.

Kathryn A. Mullaney, CPSM

Senior Associate, Business Developer, HGA Architects and Engineers

Kate Mullaney has over 17 years in marketing and business development, working for architecture, engineering, and program/project management firms. Her involvement with and leadership in firms of varying sizes, service offerings, markets, and cultures gives her a holistic perspective on the industry and both the unique and similar challenges that firms face. Read Kate’s full bio.

Jason Robertson

Vice President of Business Development, The Weitz Company

Jason Robertson received his Bachelor of Arts degree in business administration and finance, with a minor in marketing, from Northwestern College in 1998. After gaining 17 years of experience in the construction industry, Jason accepted a position as vice president of business development with The Weitz Company, a full-service construction firm with office locations throughout the United States. Read Jason’s full bio.

N. Anthony Steinhardt, III, FSMPS, CPSM

Principal, RATIO Architects, Inc.

As one of RATIO’s principals, Tony Steinhardt provides leadership relative to strategic client development, and identifies and cultivates opportunities for diversification with the education, community, life sciences, workplace, lifestyle and cultural marketplaces nationally—all while facing a consistently challenging business landscape. Read Tony’s full bio.